Feeler-motion for looms.



A. E. RHOADES.

FEELER MOTION FOR LOOMS. APPLICATION FILED OCT. 9. 1916.

1,292,373. Patented Jan. 21,1919.

J n van 0'7 Jun-u STATES PATENT; OFFICE,

E. RHOADES, OF HOEEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, AS-SIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO. DRAPER CORPORATION, OF HQPEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, A C0RPORA- To all whomlz't may concern:

Be it known that I, ALONZO E. Itrroanns, a citizen of the United States, residing at 'Hopedale, in the county of Worcester and State' of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Feeler-Motions for Looms, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on the drawin'gs representing like parts.

The invention to be hereinafter described relates to feeler motions for filling replenishing looms, wherein a fresh supply of filling'is furnished prior to the complete exhaustion of that in the runnin shuttle.

The present invention is a development or improvement on the feeler motion shown, described and claimed in a prior application SerialNo. 119,413, filed September 11, 1916, for feeler motion for looms, In the prior application mentioned, the feeler members of which there were two, were mounted for .the locking member was caused to free the feeler members so that thereafter they could act under the control of the filling or carrier in the shuttle to initiate filling replenishment at the desired time.

In the preferred embodiment of the in vention as shown and described in said prior application, the two feeler members were pivotally mounted directly upon the feeler carrier, and when the filling was substantially exhaust-ed andthe feeler members were freed from the control of the locking device,

they were movedinlopposite directions longitudinally of the shuttle by the forward pushof the engaging surfaces. While in these respects the-invention shown and described in said prior application is broad and generic .in. character, the present invention aims to improve certain features thereofby providing means whereby the feeler members may automatidally accommodate themselves to the surface engaged by them, and when the filling has become substantially exhausted and replenishment is desired, the said feeler members are so mounted that Specification of Letters Patent.

FEELER-MOTION FOR LOOMS.

Application filed October 9, 1916. Serial No. 124,474.

theyareanoved in a direction of separation longitudinally of the shuttle, thereby 0bviating bunehing of the yarn which might happen in case the feeler members moved towardeach other longitudinally of the shuttle.

' As well understood by those skilled in the art, filling carriers are not always supported in the shuttle in exactly the same position. Sometimes the filling carriers will be more 4 nearly-parallel to the axis of the shuttle than at other times.

Moreover, the filling carriers themselves and the load of yarn wound thereon are not always uniform;

'With these facts in mind, an important feature of the present invention consists in a plurality of feeler members adapted to be displaced longitudinally of the shuttle when the filling is substantially exhausted, and

wherein said feeler members may automatically accommodate themselves to the surface engaged by them. Y I

The above features of the invention and" others will hereinafter be described, and then definitely pointed out by the claims in connection with the accompanying drawings which illustrate a good practical form of the invention. 1

In the drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of a feeler motion embodying the present invention, part of the cap-piece being removedto show the spring beneath, and the parts of the feeler motion being detached from the loom;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the i'celer motion and its normal operation when a. working supply of filling is present in the" shuttle;

Fig. 3'is a view similar to that of Fig. 2, showing the condition of parts when the filling has been substantially exhausted ahd re plenishment is to be effected; and

Fig. {is a sectional plan view showing the normal relation of parts when a working supply of filling is present in the shuttle.

In illustrating and describing the present invention, it is not necessary to discuss those known features of loom construction with which feelers are generally associated to perform their detecting functions, because these matters are well understood by those skilled in the art so that the present illustration and description will be directed more, especially to the construction and action of the feeler motion itself.

The supporting element for the fecler and while this form of feeler carrier is preferred and is of a convenient type, it is to be understood that the invention is not restricted thereto but that the carrier may be otherwise devised.

The present invention contemplates that the feeler motion shall comprise two feeler members which shall be so mounted that when they engage the filling or the carrier in the shuttlc, they may automatically ac commodate themselves to the surface engaged by them. Various means may be adopted to this end, but in the present instance of the invention the feeler carrier 4 has pivotally mounted thereon at. 6 near its rear portion, a rocker 7 to which is piv otally connected at 8 and 9 at opposite sides of the pivot connection 6 between the rocker and feeler carrier, the feeler members 10 and 11 each of which has a roughened, toothed or serrated end 12. The feeler members 10 and 11 are pivotally offset upon the rocker 7, the construction being such that when the engaging ends 12 of the feeler members are pushed frontward, such push will have a tendency to rock the feeler members 10 and 11 in adircction of separation provided the surface engaged by the feeler members. is such as to permit this movement.

The feeler members 10 and 11 frontward of their pivotal connections 8 and 9 with the rocker members 7 have beveled end portions 13 which, when the feeler members 10 and 11 are moved longitudinally of the shuttle by frontward push thereon, cause a controller to be positioned for the initiation of" filling replenishment upon frontward movement of the filling carrier.

' The present invention aims to provide a lock to prevent movement of the feeler memhers 10 and 11 longitudinally of the shuttle until the filling has reached a predetermined degree of exhaustion and prior to substantial exhaustion. Tothis end, the feeler carrier 4 has mounted thereon, the slide 14 provided with an end portion 15 adapted to pass between the front end portions 13 of the feeler members and maintain such feeler members from movement longitudinally of the shuttle in a direction of separation by frontward push against the engaging ends 12 of the feeler members. Rising from the slide 14 is a lug 16 in which is adjustably mounted the rod 17 having an end portion 18 adapted under certain conditions to contact with the wall of the shut tle or shuttle-box, preferably the former. The rod 17 in the present instance of the invention is shown as screw-threaded into the lug 16 and held in adjusted position ing normally t hold the rod 17 and perforce resent instance coiled the locking slide 14 in rearward position.

One end of the spring 20 may find a seat against the locking nut 19 While the other .end thereof bears against a lug 21 rising from the feeler slide land through which the end of the stem 17 may move, the construction being such that normally the spring- 20 holds the rod 17 and the locking slide 14 in rearward position with the end 15 of the locking. slide between'the front end portions of the feeler members .10 and 11 to thereby prevent movement ofsaid feeler members in a d1rect10n of separation longl tud nally of the shuttledurnig normal weaving operations when a working supply of filling is present in the shuttle. During this condition of the filling in the shuttle, the end portion 18 of the 'rod 17 does not strike either the shuttle-box or theshuttle wall on a detecting beat, so the feeler members 10 and 11 remain locked and cannot move longitudinally of the shuttle during the beatup movement of the lay. When, however, the filling has reached a predetermined degree of exhaustion and the feeler members 10 and 11 enter farther into the shuttle-the erid of the rod 17 engages the wall ofthe shuttlebox or wall of the shuttle as the case may be, thereby moving the lockingslide front,- wardly against the tension of the spring 20 and withdrawing the end 15 of the locking slide frontwardly until the inclined-portions 22 thereof are opposed to the inclined portions on the front ends of the feeler members. If, at this time, there be sufiicient filling in the shuttle to hold the feeler memhers from longitudinal movement due to the frontward push of the filling on the detecting beat, the loom will continue to run without effecting a change of filling. When, however, the filling has become so far depleted as, for instance, is illustrated in Fig. 3, and only a few turns of filling remain upon the filling carrier, such filling will no longer be able to hold the feelers 10 and 11 ran from such longitudinal movement due to the froutward push thereon, and they will,

therefore, move in a direction of separation thereby causing their front end portions, 13 to engage the inclined endportions 22 of the locking slide and force the locking slide farther frontwardly. This increased movement of the locking slide is utilized in the present invention to position a controller 24 and normally underthe action of a light vsprmg'25, tending to hold the actuator 23 with its front end portion resting against awstop 0r pin 26. The actuator 23 has a side projecting portion 27 which is in the path of .movement of the lug 16, the construction be ing such that when the feeler members are moved in a direction of separation longitudinally of the shuttle, the actuator 23 will have its end 28 moved into operative position with: respect to means for co ntrolling replenishment. In the present instance of the invention, the end of the actuator 23 when in operative position as hereinbefore described, is adapted to engage a finger 29 as the feeler carrier moves frontwardly on a detecting beat. 1 The finger 29 is connected to a rod or controller 30 which is operatively related to means for initiating filling replenishment when the finger-29 i moved by the actuator, as well understood by those skilled in the art.

It is desirable after a filling'replenishing movement of the parts, that the actuator 23 and the locking slide be moved orreturned to their normal position. As one means of efl'ecting this purpose, the actuator-j 23 is provided with an inclined portion 31 which is adapted to engage a reversely-inclined portion 32 on a block 33' as the feeler carrier 4 returns to its rearward position after a replenishing operation.

The shuttle 34 may be of any usual character, and have any form of appropriate means for holding the filling carrier 35 and its load of filling 36 within the shuttle. One of the side walls of the shuttle 34 is provided with the usual opening 37 as is also the front-wall 38 of the shuttle-box, theconstruction being such that on adetecting beat the feeler members 10 and 11 may enter the shuttle and perform their feeling or detecting function. i

If desired, limiting stops 39 may be employed for limiting the'normal position of the feeler members 10 when the lock or locking slide is in operative or looking position.

From the construction described it will be apparent that the feeler members may automatically accommodate themselves to the direction or plane of the surface engaged by them on a detecting beat by reason of their connection with the feeler slide throughthe rocker 7 and it will be further noted that when the feeler members are unlocked and.

tudinal. movement in tllfldlIGCi/lOIl of sepa" rat-ion by the filling in the shuttle when a suflic'ient amount of filling is present to continue the weaving operation; but when the filling has become what is known as substantially exhausted, it will no longer be able to prevent such separatin r movement of the feeler members longitudinally of the shuttle by the forward push thereon, and fillmg replenishment will be efiected, substantially as hereinbefore described.

lVhat is claimed is z.-

1. In a feeler motion for looms, the combination of a feeler carrier mova ble toward and from the front of the loom, two feeler members movablelongitudinally of the shuttle by the frontward push upon said feelermembers when the filling is substantially exhausted, a rocker to which the two feeler members are connected to permit the feeler members to automatically accommodate themselves to the engaging surface within the shuttle, a lock to hold said feeler members from movement longitudinally of the shuttle, and means rendered effective before the filling reaches substantial exhaust-ion to free the feeler members to the control of the filling and carrier within the shuttle.

2. In a feeler motion for looms, the combination of a carrier movable toward and from the front of the loom, two feeler members movable longitudinally of the shuttle bythe frontward push thereon when the filling is substantially exhausted on a detecting beat, a rocker connecting the two feeler members and carrier to permit the feeler members to automatically accommodate themselves to variations in the contacting surface, a lock for holding the feeler members from longitudinal movement until a A stantially exhausted on a detecting beat, a

rocker connecting the two feeler members and carrier to permit the feeler members to automatically accommodate themselves to variations in the contacting surface, a lock for holding the feeler members from longitudinal movement until a predetermined degree of filling exhaustion has been reached and to then free the two feeler members to the control ofth'e filling and carrier within the shuttle.

4. A feeler motion for looms, comprising, incombination, two feeler members mounted for'movement in opposite directions longitudinally of the shuttle and held from such movement by engagement with thefilling 'until substantial exhaustion thereof, connections between the two feeler members permitting movement of the feeler members jointly to automatically accommodate themselves to the surface engaged by them, and means for initiatin filling replenishment when the feeler mem ers are moved longitudinally of the shuttle on a detecting beat.

5. A feeler motion for looms, comprising, in combination, a feeler carrier, two feeler members movable longitudinally of the shuttle in opposite directions and held from such movement by engagement with the filling until substantial exhaustion thereof, connections between the feeler members and feeler carrier permitting the feeler members to accommodate themselves to the surface engaged by them, an actuator controlled by the feeler members, and means operated by the actuator when the feeler members are moved in opposite directions for initiating replenishment of filling.

6. In a feeler motion for looms, the com bination of a carrier normally held in rear position, a rocker-mounted on the carrier, two feeler members pivotally mounted on the rocker and movable longitudinally of the shuttle when the filling is substantially exhausted, and means for initiating filling replenishment when the feeler members are moved longitudinally of the shuttle on a detecting beat.

7. In a feeler motion for looms, the combination of a carrier normally held in rearward position, a rocker mounted on the carrier, two feeler members pivotally mounted on the rocker member and adapted to be moved longitudinally of the shuttle by the frontward push thereon when the filling is substantially exhausted, and an actuator movable by the feeler members wnen they are moved longitudinally.

8 In afeeler motion for looms, a carrier, a rocker pivotally mounted on the carrier, feeler members pivotally mounted on the rocker, one at each side of its pivotal connection with the carrier, and adapted to be moved longitudinally of the shuttle by the frontward push when the filling is substantially exhausted, and an actuator movable into operative position by the longitudinal movement of the two feeler members.

9. In a feeier motion for looms, a carrier,

of the feeler members to initiate filling re plenishment.

10. In a feeler motion for looms, the combination of a feeler carrier movable toward and from the front of the loom, two feeler members movable longitudinally of the shuttle and held from such movement on a detecting beat by engagement with the filling until substantial exhaustion thereof, means for causing the two feelcr members to accommodate themselves to the surface engaged by them under the frontward push of said surface, and an actuator controlled by the two feelers for initiating replenishment of filling when the feelers are moved longitudinally of the shuttle.

11. A feeler motion for looms, comprising, in combination, t'Wo feeler members mounted for movement together to accommodate them to the contour of the surface engaged by them, and for movementtoward and from each other, and means actuated by the feeler members when the filling is" substantially exhausted on a detecting beat to replenish the filling.

In testimony whereof, I have-signed my name to this specification.

ALONZO E. nHoADEs. 

